


The Runaways

by annetheseamaiden



Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1920s, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-14
Updated: 2014-08-08
Packaged: 2018-02-08 19:31:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1953417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annetheseamaiden/pseuds/annetheseamaiden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A terrified Anne Neville, leaves a letter to her lover, Richard York, explaining the reasons for her coldness towards him, and her sudden departure.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Blame the Rain

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this: http://annetheseamaiden.tumblr.com/post/91696974897/richard-iii-anne-neville-modern-au-a
> 
> 1930s AU

The night grew cold because of the heavy rain. Richard was rather surprised to see that Anne was not in the apartment they have shared for almost four years now. He was also surprised to find the that it did not smelled like her favourite candle. He called for her, but she didn’t answered. He looked in the kitchen and saw that she had cooked. She always cooked for him. He hated that she was always cooking. Her cooking had made him gain weight since she always indulged him with his fancies, and today was no different day. She cooked for him her famous pasta Alfredo. She made the sauce from scratch. Using milk, cheese and some other things that he could never remember because she didn’t want to give him the complete recipe.  
“If you keep cooking like this I am going to die of a heart attack!” Richard laughed as he grabbed a spoon to taste the sauce. Richard laughed and thought of the moment, once when her Mother said that to keep a man you must now two things, be good in the kitchen and in bed. Richard saw her as a goddess. She possessed all the qualities that he most doted. She was so kind, and benevolent, but she had also her Father’s temperament, which always made Richard, at times to walk on eggshells when she was during that time of the month when leaving a sock out of place will make her go mad, and resulted in him going to the store and buy her chocolate. Richard now thought that she just did it on purpose so he would indulge her on her fancies, just as he always did.

“ANNE!” He called for her again as he started to warm the food in the oven. He swiftly made his way to the room they share. Their place was tiny, but neither of them complained. They both were runaways. Tired of the route that their parents had for them. 

His father died when he was young, and his Mother favoured his middle brother George. The favouritism caused constant fights, and one time, when his brother George fell almost deadly ill, the words that caused his heart to break were when his mother asked, “Why George of all of you?”; he remembered that he was young and still a child that day, but that in that day, he grew up and became a man. 

Then was Anne. His fair Anne. Her Father insisted that she marry the Lancaster boy. He also kept telling her that she would marry the Lancaster boy, who one day slapped her face, causing her porcelain skin to turn purple. He remembered when he saw her that day. She was wearing a veil around her neck. At first he thought she look like a virgin goddess. She was wearing a lavender dress, and then the veil on her head, and when he walked up to her to tell her that her Father was looking for her he saw it. That was the day when they both decided that they should runaway. She was only sixteen back then, and he was only twenty.

“If you keep cooking to me like that, I’ll be dead in a few years.” Richard joked.

Anne was taking a bath. He now could feel the scent of her favourite candle in the bathroom. 

“Why all the candles?” He asked.  
“I don’t know.” She simply said, “I felt like it.”  
“Do you mind if I join you?” He asked, making Anne stand before him. He smiled at her as he walked towards her.  
“I’ve been in here for almost two hours. I am tired of being in here.” Anne said.  
“Are you okay, love?” He asked her, “You seem a little bit off.”  
“I love you.” Anne whispered.  
“I love you too.” He smiled as he pressed a kiss on her wet breast.  
“I prepared dinner.”  
“I know.” Richard smiled as he placed kisses on both of her hip bones as she gently took hold of her hands.  
“Do you want to have dinner now?” Anne asked as he helped her to get out of the tub.

Richard wondered what was going on in her mind as he handed her the towel. She seemed so distant, and afraid as she dressed into his nightshirt. She seemed that she was drowning in sadness.

“Have I done something to upset you?” Richard asked her.  
“No.”  
“Then why are you have no emotion on those beautiful eyes of yours?”  
“I am just not feeling very well.” Anne said.  
“Are you ill? Do you fear an illness?” He asked.  
“No. I am tired.”

They were both hard-workers. Richard was paying Anne her school so she could be a receptionist, something that she always wanted studied. She was now, during the mornings, and during the afternoon, she went to work in a factory while Richard worked as an accountant.  
“Of course you are.” He said, “Why don’t you go to bed early, then?”

“I don’t want you to eat alone.” Anne said. 

There was something clearly off in herself. Her lively and jiggly personality was now gone. She was like a flat line on a heart rate machine. There was now pulse in her. There was no live.Richard ate dinner without feeling hungry. Anne just stared at him with a dead smile, and no shine in her periwinkle eyes. He told her that he would do the dishes and would put everything away, for he did not wished to continue seeing her like this.

“Go to bed, love.”  
Anne shook her head, “I don’t want to leave you alone.”  
Richard smiled when he heard those words, “How would you leave me alone if you’ll be a few await from me? Go to bed,” He said as he undid the little bun she had done for her hair not to get wet, “I swear that I’ll be done in five minutes, then I will take a quick shower, and I’ll be in the bed with you. Give this poor bastard, twenty minute tops.”  
Anne wrapped her arms around him and shook her head.  
“You know that I love you, right?”

Richard was used to this. Anne could be clingy at times, and it was part because at her young age of 20, she had made a few decisions in her life. Running away with him was one of those. She did not regret it. She loved him. She was heart and soul for him, and he knew it. He then heard her cry.

“What’s wrong?” He asked her, as he kneeled in a little bit to be at the same height of her eyes.  
“I love so much.”  
“Then don’t love me like that if it makes you cry!” He said as he pressed his forehead against hers, snaking his arms tighter around her.  
“What is it, Anne?”

She then offered him a smile, and pecked his cheek before walking to the room they shared. In a hurry, Richard took all of the bowls he could find, put the food away, washed the dishes, and got into bed with her.  
Anne started to kiss him as she had the first time they were together. Anne may have had insecurities, but in the bedroom she was not. But tonight, on that night, it was as if he had time traveled to their first night. Her touch was strong, but she was being slow. She then started unbuttoning his shirt, which he helped her. Maybe, Richard thought, maybe it was one of those days when she needed reassurance. Maybe it was one of those days that she needed to know that she did okay when she left her family, and the golden crib she was born in. So he made love to her like the first time. It was all her. Gently touching her skin, gently touching her breasts as he thrusted into her. He could feel Anne’s nails in her back. On days he would complain. Finally, she was showing some emotion and pleasure in her fair face, and he did not want to take that from her. He wouldn’t, and couldn’t. He was rather surprised when Anne moaned. She was always so silent. He usually would now that she had felt pleasure because her chest would flush, her breasts will become sharper, and she would whisper to him that she was near. But this night, this night she was using her vocal chords to let him know that she was feeling pleasure, and when his pleasure came Anne touched his face while he still felt it, and kissed him.

After laying in bed for a few more moments, Anne asked him not to say a word, just to hold her.  
“I always hold you.” Richard said.  
“But I want you to truly hold me.” Anne replied, making Richard do as he was told. 

In other words, she told him to hold her tight. It was something that he rather enjoyed. He then fell asleep, and so did she. During the middle of the night, Anne woke up Richard telling him that she was cold, which led to another hour of pure love making. This was an usual night for them.

When the sun came out, Richard placed a kiss in her forehead, and then on her lips. He gently awoke her by rubbing her shoulders, and telling her that he was off to work.

“You know that I love you, right?” Anne asked.  
“Of course I do.” He replied as he got into the car.  
“You know I’ll never do anything that would hurt you.”  
“Why are you saying this?” He asked her.  
“I love you.” Anne said, “I just want to be sure that you know that.”  
“You do know that I’ll die for you, right?” He asked instead.  
“I hope it never comes up to that.” Anne sighed.  
“It wont.” He said as he kissed her hand, “You know why?”  
“No.” Anne answered.  
“Because we have each other, Anne. Together, we are indestructible.”

With those words, he left. Anne stared at the grey car until she couldn’t see it anymore, and then, she went to back inside and sat in the table with paper in her hands and started to write.

Richard came a little late that night. Again, he could smell her cooking. It smelled a lot like chicken and a lot like garlic.  
“It smells good, Anne!” He yelled when he entered the kitchen. Once again, she was not there.  
“Anne?” He called again, but there was no answer.  
“Annie? Anne!”  
“ANNE!” He yelled this time angrily as he went into the room to see if she was taking a bath. 

She wasn’t. She wasn’t in the bathroom, nor sleeping in the bed. He looked in the laundry, which had clothes on the drying machine, but she was not there either. He went to the little office he set for them where there were two adjoining desks. One for him, and one for her. She was also not there..  
He then saw an envelope. He reached for it, and read that it said RICHARD in her lovely handwriting, with an ink smudge running down the paper.


	2. Chapter 2

 

_My Richard,_

_I have been cold and distant, but there was a reason for that. They have found us. My Father found us. He said that I either went back to him, to live the life I was ‘born’ to live, or that I would live a life knowing that your precious blood was on my hands. I fear for your safety, my love. Though we are not married, I consider myself as your wife, and if severe and deadly harm came to you because of me or anything, it would make me be a widow in heart. You always told me that I could make my own decisions. Then I am making this one because I love you. Please Richard, I beseech you not to come for me, my love. Please. I wish to know that you my love, that you are safe, and alive. I will always be your Annie York, Richard. In heart and soul, I will always be her. Do not come for me, my dearest. Please, I beg you not to, for I couldn’t and wouldn’t know how to survive knowing that I was the reason of your spilled blood. I love you, Richard, but love like ours always has a price, a high one._

_Always yours,_

_Annie._

He was now shaking. 

This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't. He was now regretting not listening to her when she said that she wished for a change of scenery. He now regretted not listening to her when she said that she was a afraid that her Father would find them and would separate them. He could now remember her voice, asking him to move more to the South so they could be farther away. That was the first fight they had. It all happened because she saw her sister crossing the street from her work. She thought that her Father now had Isabel under his control too, but he explained to her that it was just mere casualty and that it didn't had to do anything with them.

" _Please!_ " He remembered her saying, but he said that he couldn't because he was in sure that he would get a promotion and that they needed the money. He got the promotion a year later.

He then re-read the letter again, wishing to find some code, but he found any. He had walked to their room, and saw that her clothes was not there anymore, nor her jewellery, nor the cream that she used every night. Still shaking, he ransacked the room looking for a clue. Maybe a secret letter, letting him know when to meet just like they did when they were younger. The tears started now to flow from his eyes more heavily now as he surely realized that she was truly gone. That she had left him. But he wouldn't allow that. He couldn't. Anne was his, and he was hers. That was what she said, and wrote on time in a piece of paper and hid it in a locket of hers.

Depressed now, Richard walked outsid, and started knocking on doors asking if they had seen Anne go with a dark curly haired man. Most people answered if it was a joke, since he was practically describing himself, so he went back to the house and started to show a picture of Richard Neville.

Some people didn't know. Some said that it was too dark to know. Some said that he was a regular Joe. 

He feared for his fair Anne. He feared for her safety, just as she feared for his. He only wished she would have told him. He would have left everything, and he would have gladly started again. He had now some money on his name, and it could cover for new modest settlement, but she didn't say a word. That was usual Anne when she felt trapped. She said that sharing problems made them real, but this without sharing them was already real, and had life of its own.

Ignoring Anne's written advice, he got in his car and drove upstate. Three hours of traveling, and he was now running out of gas, but it was because he was going as fast as he could. He stopped, and then continued to drive.

Middleham was still Middleham. Same old shops, and bars. Same old girls on the street. He passed right through his childhood home, but not stopping. He only wanted to take Anne back with him. He belonged wherever she was, and so did she. 

The Neville house had not change. Well, it had a little bit. More gardens, and more fountains. Anne came from a rich family. The richest in the town. Her father was the mayor, had been for almost twenty years now. Then came his family, who had money because his Father used to work for Richard Neville. He married his eldest daughter to the second eldest York brother. He originally intended to marry Isabel to Edward, but he found a beautiful blonde that enchanted him. So he married her daughter to George, and set on his mind that he would look for Anne a great match. A match that was not him. A match with the name of Edward Lancaster, son of a French lady, and a sad old mad man, Henry. The French lady came from old money, and so did her husband. They lived over two cities down, and the boy once said that Anne's face was pretty, but ordinary. He was young then, and well, Anne was younger so he did not payed attention. Anne's face was everything but ordinary. She was just beautiful.

He was now knocking on the door. Trying to remain calm, but no one answered.

He walked over the sidewalk and called for Anne.

 

Anne had cried herself to sleep that night. Feeling so stupid on why believing her Father's threats, and not telling Richard just to run again. She often got tunnel vision, and it always affected her actions.

Then she heard something.

A rock against the window. She quickly stood up, and looked outside from the corner of the– her window.

"Get away from that window!" 

Anne looked back and saw that her Father was now awake, and in her bedroom.

"Let me speak to him."

"You stay here!"

"But Papa–"

"You do not call me like that. You lost that privilege when you left and became his whore."

Those words were like knives against her skin. 

Then they heard the knocking. Richard York was pounding on the door, demanding to see his Anne.

" **OPEN THE DOOR YOU COWARD**!" Richard yelled.

"Sir, please. He means well." Anne pleaded but Richard Neville had left his daughter's room, his wife entering, and telling him to lock the door, as she held a fighting Anne.

Richard Neville locked the door, and then was now walking down the stairs, then reaching for the door, and opening it.

"Richard! I have not seen you since you …" Richard Neville took a sigh, "Well, since you sold Anne dreams of freedom, happinnes and true love and took her away from her rightful place."

"I may not have been able to give her all the luxuries that you gave her, but I have done everything I could to make her comfortable." Richard York said, "I love her. She loves me. We love each other. I knows that. She know that.  _You_  know that!” 

Richard Neville laughed. The young man may look alike his old deceased friend, but they were too different at the same time.

"She’s not here." Richard Neville said.

"There’s a candle in her window, Richard. That candle is for me." 

Anne was now walking down the stairs, telling her Father to please don't do anything that he would regret, that she would do anything he asked to please him.

"Annie!" Richard called for her but she did not answered.

Anne look to her mother who was now in the room with her, "Mother please!"

Her mother did not answered.

" ** _Annie, I am here!_** "

He waited for her, but she did not come out.

"Accept this." Richard Neville said, "It took my four years to only find that you were living right under my nose, and I'll give you credit for that. But that it is everything you'll get from her. She is still a child, she has no knowledge of the world. Do you want your Mother to know that her youngest child is dead?"

Richard stepped back, repeating the movement of his feet a few times in a row as Richard Neville walked towards him.

"This is how it will go. She will marry the Lancaster boy, and she will have a proper life that doesn't involve working in a factory and studying to be a receptionist. She will grow like her Mother, and have children of her own, while you marry some farm girl, and be far from her life."

"Why does Isabel gets to marry George, and I cannot marry him?" Anne protested her Mother from the room above.

That was Anne and Richard's question. 

Why?

 


	3. Chapter 3

Two weeks have passed, since Anne had seen his Richard. During the nights, her Mother stayed with her until she felt asleep. Anne did not talked to her Mother. Nor to her Father. Word got to Richard York that Richard would not even let his daughter Isabel near Anne, fearing that she may smuggle a plot of him taking Anne way from her ‘rightful’ life. 

Anne spent her nights regretting her actions on that Wednesday night when she left her home. The lovely home she shared as with her Richard. She felt so coward, powerless. She felt stupid. She got scared that night, petrified and fearful.

Anne just laid on the bed all day. Her Mother said that it was just a silly crush. That her feelings for the youngest York boy were just a passage rite in a girl’s life to fall in love with a boy, and then go back to her real life.

Isabel was now in her parent’s house. Hearing that her Father had brought Anne home, she just had to see her sister, and to see if she was okay. But Anne did not wanted to talk to anyone, not even go down to the garden. For her behaviour, her Father locked her in her old room.   
Isabel was now annoyed. She wanted to see her sister, but Anne wouldn’t open the door. Isabel thought of Richard. Her parents weren’t in the house, and the four maids were making dinner.

"Anne," Isabel knocked on the door, "Annie!"  
"Anne!"

Anne opened her eyes and rubbed them.

"Can you open the door please?"  
"You know I cannot. It is locked on your side."

Isabel hesitated for a second.

"Is it love, Anne? You and Richard. Is it love?"

Anne stood up and leaned on the door.

“Annie, can I come in?” She asked her, making Anne knock the door and say yes.

Isabel laid eyes on her sister for the first time in four years. She had changed. Her hair had become darker, and her lips were a little plumper. Her face had not changed. She still had her kind blue eyes, and she could see a faint shimmer of her innocence. It was her instinct to hug her sister. An instinct to almost break her bones and kiss her cheeks.

“You have grown!” Isabel sighed, “You have a woman’s body now.”

Anne was aware of it. She had already been with child one time, but the baby came out without her even knowing it at the time when it happened, “Thanks.” Anne whispered.  
“Have you seen him?” Anne asked.   
“He’s well. He misses you. His eyes are red and spends the day in his bed looking up to the ceiling saying that he should have heard you when you said that you wished to move further south.” Isabel said, “If you got out, why did you come?” Isabel asked.  
“I am afraid. Afraid that he may harm him.”  
“Does Richard loves you?” Isabel asked.  
“I love him. Father, he said to me that he would kill him.”

Isabel knew well enough her father. She knew that he would do it if it came to be the only option to wed Anne to Lancaster.

“Why can you married his brother, and I not?” Anne asked.  
“You know why, Anne. It is all about estates, lands, and what he earns in a year. Father wants also the Lancaster name, just as he already has the York name with me.” Isabel said as Anne rested her face in her sister’s lap.  
“Shh!” Her sister hushed her as she petted her head, “You are going run dry with all the tears that you are weeping, Anne.”  
“I shouldn’t have come with Father. We should– I should have told Richard, we would have gone south.”  
“He wishes to see you. Tomorrow. Tell Father– tell him that you wish to go to confess your sins.”  
“I have no sins.”  
“Play along. He’ll be there. Now, I have to go. No one should see me come or leave.” 

Isabel said, rising on her delicate feet before going to the door. Anne started to go like crazy, going through her trunks of clothing. She there took a scarf, and bathed it with her perfume of rosemary and mint.

“Give him this.” Anne said as she placed a kiss on the scarf.  
“Ew!” Isabel said, finding the scent of it repulsive.   
“Are you with child?” Anne asked, remembering how can a sniff could ruin her day.

Isabel looked at her skeptically, in that moment, for sure realizing that her sister was no longer a child. That instead, she was a woman with experience. A woman that had known love, and the pleasures of sharing a bed with a man.

“How– were you–?”  
“I didn’t know it. Until I started bleeding a lot, and Richard took me to a lady and– I read in an article that if you have heavy nauseas you’ll be having a pretty little lady, if you are not, then you’ll be having a little man.”  
“I am so sorry.” Isabel said. Her little sister saying something like that, it was something that she had never expected.  
“If the two of you have been together like husband and wife, and promised each other, you are married in the eyes of the church.”  
“But Dad–”  
“Talk with mother. She may seem like an Ice Queen, but she can be really warm. You do not remembered when I married Georgie. I was so scared, and she–”  
“You were always her favourite. Her reflection.”  
Isabel did not said a word and instead kissed her sister in the forehead saying goodbye.  
“At what hour?” Anne asked her.  
“Before breaking fast. Tell Papa to accompany you. Then you’ll go to the restroom, and he’ll be there.”  
“With Father? I cannot go with him! Come with me.”  
“Father sees me as a possible threat between his engagement to the Lancasters. I am to him a connection to Richard to you, Annie. Tomorrow, at six in the morning. Sister, I have to go now.”

Isabel left the house like a ghost. Growing up in the house, she knew all the ways. She then went and visited her Mother in law, Cecily York. She could listen to Cecily yelling at one of her sons. At first she was glad when she saw Richard, her little son, but the gladness became to an end when she found out why he was here. Though Richard had a breakdown, she continued to run her fingers through her son’s curly wild hair, whispering that it would be okay. 

She was wrong. She was not yelling to her sons. She was actually yelling to the blonde woman she had for daughter-in-law. Liz. Liz had enchanted Edward with her looks and sweet voice, but was not able to enchant Cecily. She could now listen to Richard, saying that their world wasn’t crumbling. His was the one who had crumble right in front of him. Asking them, for his sake to stop before going back up to his room. One of the things that he most loved of loving Anne was that they usually fought for silly things. Liz was now yelling to Cecily on her meddling on her love life with Edward, telling her to stop parading Edward with the Shore girl that shared her name.  
Isabel cleared her throat, and opened the door.

“Do you know that you can be heard from the porch?” Isabel asked when she entered the house. 

Richard instantly jumped from the bed he was laying in. He was looking at the a map he had left in his old room. He had been looking at the cities in the south, looking where to go next to live with Anne. Maybe the west would be good too. The farther away from New York and New Jersey the better. He almost tripped his as he walked down the stairs, no one noticing because his Mother was still fighting with Liz.

“Isabel!” He called.  
“Here, Richard!”

He ran to the kitchen. 

“Where were you?” He asked.  
“I had to run some errands for George.” Isabel was just now teasing him.  
“Tell me!”  
“Do you think that George looks better in red or in black . . . you see, I don’t which one it is prettiest? I got you this!” Isabel said as she handed him a bag.  
“What did she said?” Richard asked, “Has she been beaten. Is her face bruise? Is she eating well? She’s has lost weight. She caught a chill– we both did a month ago. She has to eat well. She had been feeling dizzy for the last few weeks–”

Then he recognised it. Isabel smiled at him and told him to go to bed early since he needed to be early in the chapel the next day, and to look out for her Father would be there. He slept with it during the night, wrapped it around his hand. He woke up really early that morning, and went directly to the church. He hid in the woman’s bathroom for a long time.

Then he heard some steps. He heard the door knob. He did not know if he should opened the door. That was not Anne. The lady was speaking Italian. The only Italian Anne knew was how to say ‘thanks’ to the lady that lived in front of her, who took an odd affection to him which freaked him out because she said that he reminded her of her late husband when they got married.

He looked at his clock, and saw that it was now eight in the morning, and had not come. Maybe he should have told Isabel which of the bathrooms. The one upstairs, or the one downstairs.

Then he heard the voice. 

“I know that you are in here.”


	4. Chapter 4

At first he didn’t move. The voice was different. Almost shaking. But then he recognized the sound of her humming. He now knew that it was her. It was his Anne. His girl. His other half. The most important person in the world to him.

He opened the door of the of the closet where he was hiding and saw her petite figure. She was wearing a navy blue loose skirt that matched with her blouse, with a white cloth hat. Anne turned back and saw him. A smile came across her face, but neither of them lost the chance to kiss each other. A long gentle kiss.

Richard cried as he took hold of her, snaking his arms around her chest, pulling her towards him. He was not going to let her go. He couldn’t and wouldn’t. Anne cupped his face on her hands, whispering not to make a sound.

“My Father is waiting for me outside.”  
"  
Richard let her go, not because he wanted. He let her go to see if the windows were open so she could climbed out of there, and he would follow her.

“I cannot do that.” Anne said.  
“Why not?” Richard asked, “Do you not love me anymore?” He asked her, “Is that it?”

Anne could see the distress in his eyes. His eyebrows were now fused together, and his eyes were filled with tears that weren’t ready to leave their home.

“How can you think that of me?” Anne asked him.  
“Then why did you run off, Annie?” Richard asked her as he struggled to look her in the eyes.   
She had never seen him cry before, “Do I make you unhappy? Is that it? My late working hours, do they make you feel lonely.”  
“It is not that, love.” Anne whispered as she sat in the floor, Richard instantly mimicking her moves, “I could never grow tired of you. Never. Your hours, they may be too long, but they are no bother to me.”  
“Come back with me.” Richard said, “We’ll leave this side of the country. Do you want to go South, or do you want to go the Northwest. South West, or Northwest?”  
“I would live in the stars with you, sweetheart. I am just too afraid that Papa will hurt you.” Anne said as Richard rubbed his forehead against her.  
“ANNE!” That was her Father.   
Anne looked at Richard and told him that she had to go.  
“No.” Richard pulled her back to him and gave her a kiss in the lips as his hands traveled down to sneak them under her shirt. She was so warm. Warmer than usual. Her skin felt softer. Maybe it was because he hadn’t touched her, felt her in three weeks. It frightened him to think that his hands, that his senses were forgetting how she felt against him.  
“No, no, no!” Richard groaned, “You are not going back there. Are they hitting you?”  
“No!” Anne cried out loud.  
“Anne! Is everything all right?” Her Father asked once again.  
“Yes.” Anne said out loud, “Everything’s fine. I am just having some women–”  
“There is no need to explain.” Her Father said, “Just hurry up.”

Anne kissed Richard one more time before she stood up.

“You are not going back there. You are not.” Richard hissed as he held tightly of her hand, “You cannot go back there. You– I cannot– You cannot leave me alone. Do you really want to go on with your father’s plan? Marry yourself off for some stupid old fashioned motives. Do you not love me anymore? Do you do not like our lives together?”  
“Do you really think that of me?” Anne asked him one more time.  
Richard looked up to her and placed one of his hands in her face while the other took hold of her hand to tangle his hand on hers, “No. It is fear talking. I just love you so much!”  
“Send me word with Isabel. He’s out of the country and Father has already send word that I came back from my trip.”  
“Trip?”  
“Have Isabel not told you?” Anne asked making Richard shake his head, “He said to everyone that–”

Richard remembered now. His Mother had told him that Richard Neville said to everyone that Anne had gone to their family in to travel the world with them and at the same time to learn a lady’s proper etiquette.

“Listen to me Anne. Will you– will you follow me?”  
“What?” Anne asked.  
“I’ll be gone for a few days, two weeks at top. I’ll travel– where do you want to live?”  
“Wherever you wish to?”  
“Are you still unsure where do you wish to raise our children?” Richard asked making her smile, “Never ending summers or a place where the four seasons are well marked?”  
“Never ending summer.” Anne smiled.  
“Sand, beaches, green grass?” Richard asked her as he rubbed his nose against hers.  
“Yes.” Anne gasped as she nodded.  
“You wearing a summer dress. A white, knee length dress because you have wonderful legs and you look so lovely in white. Maybe one of those that you tie on the front so it could be easily undone by me.”  
Anne laughed at him before she kissed him, pulling his hair to deepen the kiss.  
“I’ll be gone a few days. I’ll go south and I’ll get a beautiful place with a yard. Near a beach.”  
“Will you, Richard?” Anne asked.  
“I will.” Richard whispered as she pulled him to hug him.   
“I was foolish girl.” Anne said, “So foolish and stupid.”  
“You are not. I wouldn’t have fallen in love with you if you were.” Richard said, “You are smart, really stubborn, and hot headed which as you know, it makes me mad.”  
Anne smiled at him, giving him the smile that he needed, “I’ll tell Isabel when, okay?”  
“Okay.” Anne nodded as Richard cleaned his tears with his handkerchief. “Keep it. I already have the scarf of yours. Tell me, did you ran out of perfume when you poured it?”  
“I am wearing the last that I had.” 

They could now listen Richard Neville telling Anne to hurry up because he didn’t have the whole day to wait for her.

“I’ll get Isabel to buy you one of the same. Okay?” Richard said to her as he helped her to stand up, making her nod.  
“I love you.” Anne said.  
“I love you more.” He said as he gave her another kiss, this one a deep one.  
“ANNE!”

Anne pushed Richard into the closet and before she closed the door, she gave him a quick kiss.

“I’ll send you word with Isabel.” Richard said before she closed the door. 

Anne washed her hands and let them wet. Her Mother always told her to dry off her hands, and her father told him to obey her Mother.

“What were you doing in there?” Her Father asked her when she got out.  
“Do you really wish to know?” Anne asked him looking straight at him.  
“No. Now walk. I am late.”


	5. Chapter 5

Anne felt so hopeful now. Maybe they could share a happy life. Maybe they could make a family. Every single night she dreamt of Richard and her far on the south. A house near the beach and kids running around.Richard had sent her with Isabel her favourite perfume, and when Richard Neville went out of town to meet with some business partners. Anne talked with her Mother about Richard, and how kind and loving they were. She told her Mother that she loved him, but her Mother begged her not to insist on such matter for everyone’s sake. Then, after two weeks of Richard York departing to the south to settle a house for them, Anne got a letter from Richard through Isabel.

_April 17, 1920_

_My dear Anne,_

_I said that it would be two weeks top, but I fear that it make take a few more weeks. Our stuff in New York are in their way here, and I want to be here when it gets here to make sure that nothing else is missing. I’ll set the bed, and the dining room, but I will let you decorate the beautiful house that I have found for you– for us. It is not near the beach, but it is ten minutes away when you use the automobile, and thirty minutes when you walk. The foundation of the house is also more stable and stronger. I can already see us here. I can see you telling me where to set the tables, and the frames. I can hear you telling me to take my feet off the living room table, and also telling me to take the children to bed. I see us here, my Anne. I see us. And please, love, burn this letter._

_Yours always,_

_Richard_

_P.S.There you have your lovely perfume that you so much love_

 

Anne ignored his plea of her burning the letter. Instead, she placed it under her mattress and then opened perfume. She poured a little bit on her finger tips and rubbed them on her temples, making Isabel feel nauseous. Isabel spoke to her about how she was feeling. She had heavy nauseas during the morning, but it went away when she drank a special tea that Elizabeth’s mother, Jacquetta gave her. Then, she told her sister about the meddling of Cecily with Elizabeth and Edward’s marriage.

“You are lucky that you are going to go off with Richard. Sometimes I get scared that she might want to put someone in front of my George.”

“If he looks he is then an idiot.” Anne said as she stood up, feeling dizzy once again, which made her sit again. Anne touched and rubbed her sister’s now swollen bethinlly. A baby was growing within her, and Anne couldn’t wait to have something inside of her that grew with each day that passed. 

Richard was right, in a week he was back home. Richard Neville did not know anything, nor did his wife. There were only three people that knew: Isabel, Cecily and George.

“So they are running away together. Again.” George asked Isabel as he got into bed next to her.

“You have to help me to get Anne out of the house.”

“Why does Richard does not say this to me? A re you some sort of messenger, Isabel?”

“He just wishes that you make Father distracted.” Isabel said, “For him would be waiting on his car, and I’ll put Anne in his car.”

“He wants to do this on a Sunday. Where the whole town is in Church. What if they see them.”

“It is the only way. Father doesn’t let Anne go out, unless if it is with him or with Mother. Anne will say that she feels ill, and I will walk her to the ‘house’, but in reali–”

“I think you are spending too much time with my Mother.” George whispered beforegiving her a kiss, “You are becoming a schemer.”

 

* * *

 

It was Sunday now, and Anne could not get out of bed. She felt ill, and weak. Every part in her body ached. Her hands seemed heavy, and so were her breasts. Her Mother said that she had a fever, and told her Husband to send on that early morning for the physician to know why their daughter was ailing. 

When he came, the Doctor examined Anne. She seemed healthy. Perfectly healthy. He asked her how she felt.

“I feel really tired, and my body aches. I feel nauseous during the day, and when I eat it feels as if there was something burning in my stomach.”

Mrs. Neville heard everything and cried when she realized that her youngest daughter was with child. When the word of the physician went to Richard Neville’s ear, Mrs. Neville begged him not to hurt Anne, for she was innocent. That she had been seduced. She said that under her actions, she was a child who had been manipulated only to please a man’s pleasures and desires. The words of his wife calmed his angers towards his daughter, for when he saw Anne, he did see instead a four year old Anne. So instead, he made his way to the York household.

“Where is he?” Richard Neville asked Cecily York, “Where is that inept child of yours?” 

“Which one?” Cecily said referring to all of her sons for they were committing stupid actions. Edward had reconciled with Elizabeth, George was spoiling Isabel too much, and well . . . Richard was young, foolish and in love.

“You know which one well enough!” Neville yelled, “Where is Richard!”

In that moment Richard York came down from the stairs.

Richard now felt scared. His first thought was that somehow Anne freaked out and told him about the plan of they running away together, but he remained silence, or everything went silence for he did not remembered what happened next.

** I know that it may seem silly and cliche, but this is what exactly happened with my grandmother's grandmother. When they were going runaway, she fell ill and they called for the doctor who told them that the illness was nothing more than pregnancy. This is based on some letters, and my grandmother's words. **

 

 

** Let me know what you think! **

 


	6. Chapter 6

Richard Neville looked at his knuckles while his wife came with some oils to tend his hand. Anne knew nothing of it; the doctor ordered not to tell her what happened.

“Did you really have to beat his life out of him?” Mrs. Neville asked her husband.

“I did not killed him. Maybe I should have.” Richard Neville noted, “ Anne’s – she’s my little girl and he stole her from her rightful life. She could have been by now one of the most important ladies in this city. She could have had children of her own. Lived with the commodities that I gave her. He made her work. He made her work,Nan! There is no need for a women to work. A woman’s work isto be with her children and to serve her husband. There–”

“He wont marry her now. One thing was–” 

“Do not interrupt me.” Richard Neville said to his wife, “ And she will marry Lancaster.”

“But she is with child!”

“I said do not interrupt me.” Richard Neville repeated as his wife continued to clean his wounded knuckles. “And she will marry him. She conceived on their wedding night. A first night baby means that God blessed their marriage–”

“She is two months pregnant. The doctor believes that she is two months.” Nan reminded him.

“Then her time came earlier. Her waters broke two months earlier.”

“And what would explain the big, healthy baby?” Nan asked him taking a pause, “Richard, think!”

Richard Neville looked at his wife, and ordered her to shut up. 

“Marriage is a business. I already married Isabel to George, and I wish to expand our networks to Lancaster.”

Nan remained silence as she now wrapped her husband’s wounds with clean linen.

“Lancaster is coming tomorrow for dinner. Margaret wishes to see Anne. They know nothing. As everyone believes, she went abroad with family for four years. Now, go to her and feed her. She’s looking too weak. I want her cheeks to blush for tomorrow’s dinner.”

Still feeling tired, weak and nauseous, Anne laid in bed as she rubbing her belly. She had a baby growing inside of her, and once again she had known nothing of it. 

“He needs to know that I am carrying his child, Mother.”

“Annie–”

“No Mother . . . please, don’t let him do this to me. I do not want to marry Margaret’s son. I love Richard, Mama. I love _him_.”

Nan Neville always worried of her girls spending too much time with the York sisters. They were always around the York boys. Cecily Neville, she was a responsible Mother, but she had four sons, now three, but there were too many boys around her daughters, she knew it would cause trouble. Nan knew that it could cause problems. 

From an early age, Richard formed a bond with Anne. He always was around her. He always asked her what she was reading, or he read with her. They would exchange books, and Anne knew a little French, and she taught him the little she knew.She even helped him with his handwriting, which was horrible and no one could understand. He always helped her with math because she was not the best at it. She would give him bubblegum, while he would give her Eskimo Pies. Nan knew that their closeness could become dangerous.

They were always asking for each other. When Richard went to study, Anne spent time writing him. Nan remembered that now. Nan remembered that she may have encouraged their bond. After all, she knew that Richard was a good man. Nan knew that Richard was kind, too kind at times, except when it came to his brothers he played the same game that they played, but he had always been a kind boy.

Her daughter’s words echoed in her ears during the night while she slept.

_I love Richard, Mama. I love_ **_him_ ** _._

She knew that her husband wanted her daughter to be okay for her to be comfortable, to have a normal life. He wanted her to have Isabel’s life, for her to be married to a good man and for her to start her family. That was what he wanted, but Anne was as stubborn as her husband, and she now feared what Anne would do. 

* * *

* * *

 

Cecily tented her son’s wound. He was mumbling nonsense, but there was a word that she could only understand.

He was whispering Anne’s name. He opened his eyes and winced in pain.

“Stay still my love.” Cecily said, “Stay still!”

“Is Annie . . . where’s Annie? Is she okay!”

“I said stay still!” 

“What happened? Where is Annie? Annie– Anne!”

Richard’s memory started to come back. He now remembered Richard Neville punching him. He now remembered it. But he had no idea why.

“What happened? Is Anne ill? Is she okay?”

His mother told him to relax,which proved to be something that made him more anxious.

“She’s okay.”

“But Isabel . . . she said . . . she sick . . . Isabel said she is sick. She had a cold, we both had, but it was going away. . .is her cold–”

“Anne is okay.” Cecily said.

“Isabel said that she was sick. I heard her– ISABEL! Did Richard find out? Has he laid a finger on her? ISABEL!”

“Isabel it is not here, love.”

“Where is she? I need her to go and see Anne. Send for her. I want to know how she is doing.”

“Richard . . . Anne’s . . . Anne’s with child.”

With child? He did not know if he was listening alright. "With child? A baby!"

He started to laugh of excitement .

"A baby!"

Cecily saw a tear coming down from her son's swollen eye.

"Annie is–"

Then it hit him, Anne was with child. With his child, while her Father wanted to marry her to another man. She was still in her parent's house. 

"No . . . I have to get her out of there!" He said to his Mother, "Isabel!"

 


	7. Chapter 7

dgd 

Cecily forbade Richard to go out. She told him that he needed time to clear his head.

“If you want Anne back you need to think!” Her Mother said, “You need to think like a man, not a child!”

His Mother’s words made him angry but they were filled with wisdom. He was no longer a ordinary man. He needed to think like a Father.He just did not know how. He wished his Father was there to help him with the situation. His Father would have helped him. He was like his father. A romantic. He lived for romance, and so he.

His Father would have liked Anne. He liked her.His Father once joked that Anne would be Neville’s headache for she was beautiful, witty, stubborn, and graceful. He was right, she was his headache. She was everything that he said. 

His mother came later in and sat next to him to tend his already tended wounds. He only had a swollen eye, dislocated nose that she fixed, lower lip broken and some cuts on his knuckles.

“I cannot believe that you hit him back!”

“I did not wanted.” Richard said, “It was like when you used to yell at us. You yelled, we ran. He threw a punch, I threw one. Reflex–that hurts. Stop it! You have done this twice today!” Richard snapped.

Cecily shook her head, “If you stayedstill it would not hurt. I am wondering what are you planning to do? All you have done was staying inside of here. Have you talked to Neville?”

“You know I went to him. He did not let me see her, saying that she was not there. Lying for I could see the candle flame from her room.”

“What are you planning to do?” His Mother asked, “What are you planning on doing?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know what to do. I have no idea.”

His Mother shook her head, “What do you expect? A miracle? Do you expect that now that Anne is with child that he will let her go?”

“That would be _the_ miracle.”

“Richard I am being serious–”

“So am I! I have no idea. She’s so close but so far away from me.”

“You are doing nothing about it. You stay here. You do not move!”

“I am not giving up. I have done everything I said I would. But it has failed. What do you want me to do. To go there, storm in and demand for her? As if she was some kind of furniture that they stole from me? I wont do anything if it would harm her.” Richard said, “Them.”

“She’s two months far. I’ve not seen her in two days, and it seems as if a year has passed.”

“Isabel–”

“Isabel what?” Richard asked.

“Isabel said to me that Nan fears what Anne would do.” Cecily said. Richard instantly rolled his eyes in frustration. He knew Anne too well. When she sometimes gave him the silent treatment, she could go for days without speaking to him. One time she did not speak for him for three whole days, and it was for the silliest thing. Now he knew that Anne could go and do something really stupid.

“Oh God Anne!” Richard sighed, “I think I know a few things of what she may do. She has done them before.”

“How radical were they?”

“Extremely. I need to see Isabel!” Richard said standing up from the sofa.

“Richard, you cannot go out like that!”

“I do not give a damn if the whole city sees me like this! I do not care.”

“Richard!”

Sometimes, Cecily forgot that her children were as impulsive and as stubborn as her.

 

* * *

* * *

During the nights, all Anne could think off was of Richard.

She thought of his touch. She thought of the love-making nights between them, and how the loveless nights now where for her.

She thought of what would he be doing as she rubbed her belly where their child wasgrowing. She wondered if Isabel had given the letter she had written for him. The letter explaining that she had his child inside of her. She had a part of him inside of her that was growing, that needed of her and him, that she needed him now. 

However, she did not write of how much she hated herself now. She could not look at her reflection. When she did, she thought of what she was thinking that cold night? Why did she go? Why did she? But again, she remembered her Father’s words, and her love for Richard was bigger than her happiness.

All Anne could think was which was the day in which this baby was conceived.She was two months far, and two months ago they did pretty wild things. They spend some nights at one of Richard’s co-workers cabin as midyear honeymoon. It was cold, and the fire died quickly and how they kept each other sweating through the course of the night.

That night she thought of it. She thought of the cold night in the cabin. She remembered of how they turned the place over as they looked for more blankets, and how they ended up doing it in pretty unorthodox places: against the wall, the shower which almost ended up killing them, in front of a crucifix which she really felt really guilty since there were not married.

It was morning now and she had a sleepless night as she thought of those memories. She was distracted as she took her breakfast; her Mother talking about Isabel and the child she was carrying. Her Mother said that the child probably would look like her, for her looks were stronger than George’s. She thought of it, and realized that the baby inside of her must look like Richard then. He had dark and wavy hair when her hair was dark blonde and straight. The baby would have dark grey eyes, like Richard’s. They would have her colour of skin since she was a little bit darker than him, when Richard was as pale as moonlight.

“Richard and Lancaster, they are both dark haired, pale, and with grey eyes. He will pass as his child.”

Anne looked down at her breakfast and then at her Mother.

“I’ve been so stupid!” She cried out loud.

“Anne!”

Anne pushed the tray from her lap.

“Anne, eat! You are looking pale. You need colour.”

“I wont.” Anne said.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Anne. If you do not eat the child will come weak.”

“I wont eat. I wont eat. I wont eat, no I wont.”

“Anne please, you are talking nonsense.”

“I wont eat!” Anne said kicking the tray to the floor, “I wont eat.”

"Don't you dare!" Nan yelled.

"Oh I will, Mother. You know I will!"

 

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you think!


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